An Account of the English Colony in New South Wales, Volume 2 An Account Of The English Colony In New South Wales, From Its First Settlement In 1788, To August 1801: With Remarks On The Dispositions, Customs, Manners, Etc. Of The Native Inhabitants Of That Country. To Which Are Added, Some Particulars Of New Zealand; Compiled, By Permission, From The Mss. Of Lieutenant-Governor King; And An Account Of The Voyage Performed By Captain Flinders And Mr. Bass.

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Title: An Account of the English Colony in New South Wales, Vol. 2

An Account Of The English Colony In New South Wales, From Its First

Settlement In 1788, To August 1801: With Remarks On The

Dispositions, Customs, Manners, Etc. Of The Native Inhabitants

Of That Country. To Which Are Added, Some Particulars Of New

Zealand; Compiled, By Permission, From The Mss. Of

Lieutenant-Governor King; And An Account Of The Voyage

Performed By Captain Flinders And Mr. Bass.

Author: David Collins

Release Date: June 21, 2004 [EBook #12668]

Language: English

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NEW SOUTH WALES, VOL. 2 ***

Produced by Col Choat

AN ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY IN NEW SOUTH WALES:

FROM ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT IN 1788, TO AUGUST 1801:

WITH

REMARKS ON THE DISPOSITIONS, CUSTOMS, MANNERS, etc. OF THE NATIVE INHABITANTS OF THAT COUNTRY.

TO WHICH ARE ADDED,

SOME PARTICULARS OF NEW ZEALAND;

COMPILED, BY PERMISSION,

FROM THE MSS. OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR KING.

AND AN ACCOUNT OF THE VOYAGE PERFORMED BY CAPTAIN FLINDERS AND MR. BASS; BY WHICH THE EXISTENCE OF A STRAIT SEPARATING VAN DIEMAN'S LAND FROM THE CONTINENT OF NEW HOLLAND WAS ASCERTAINED.

ASBSTRACTED FROM THE JOURNAL OF MR. BASS.

By LIEUTENANT-COLONEL COLLINS, OF THE ROYAL MARINES,

LATE JUDGE ADVOCATE AND SECRETARY OF THE COLONY.

ILLUSTRATED BY ENGRAVINGS.

VOLUME II.

Many might be saved who now suffer an ignominious and an early death; and many might be so much purified in the furnace of punishment and adversity, as to become the ornaments of that society of which they had formerly been the bane. The vices of mankind must frequently require the severity of justice; but a wise State will direct that severity to the greatest moral and political good. ANON.

LONDON:PRINTED BY A. STRAHAN, PRINTERS-STREET,

FOR T. CADELL JUN. AND W. DAVIES, IN THE STRAND.

1802.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE ROBERT LORD HOBART

His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the War Department,

One of the Commissioners for the Affairs of India, etc.

MY LORD,

Feeling myself highly flattered by your permission to inscribe the following pages to your Lordship, I now humbly presume to offer them to your perusal.

The colonists of New South Wales will feel with me, who must ever take an interest in the welfare of the settlement, a high degree of satisfaction at finding the conduct of their affairs placed under the direction of a nobleman who has dignified the amiable virtues of private life by the acquisition of those more splendid talents which characterise a consummate statesman; thus at once rendering himself the object of veneration and of gratitude to his country.

Your Lordship's services in the several high and important situations which you have filled, are too generally known, and too well remembered, to make me apprehensive lest my humble tribute of applause should be mistaken for other than the genuine feelings of one proud of this opportunity to unite his voice with that of a grateful nation.

The settlement whose annalist I have been has had much to struggle with. Its distance from the protecting wing of the parent government, and the unprecedented war which that government, has so long had to conduct, have very much repressed its energies, and detracted from its natural vigour. But, although the distance must ever remain an obstacle, yet now, that your Lordship can uninterruptedly afford a portion of your valuable time and great abilities to the consideration of its interests, it will, I trust, be found to correct its bad habits, and to maintain, with a degree of respectability, its place among the colonial dominions of our much beloved and most gracious Sovereign.

That your Lordship may long be permitted to dispense blessings to New South Wales and other distant countries, and to assist, instruct, and adorn your own, is the ardent and anxious wish of him who has the honour to be, with every sentiment of respect,

MY LORD,

Your Lordship's

Most obedient, very humble,

and devoted servant,

DAVID COLLINS

Beaumont Street,

June 26, 1802

ADVERTISEMENT

London, 17th June 1802

The very flattering reception which my former Account of the English Colony in New South Wales experienced from a candid and liberal public, has induced me to continue my labours in the character of its historian; having been favoured with materials for this purpose, on the authenticity of which I can safely stake my credit.

Should the reader feel wearied with the detail of crimes and their consequences, the fault lies not with me. I have only to regret that a soil of so much promise has not produced better fruit. Such as there was, I have diligently gathered; and have endeavoured to render it as palatable as the nature of it would allow me. When we reflect that the exotics with which this new plantation is supplied are chiefly the refuse of our domestic nurseries; and duly consider that, however beneficial the act of transplantation may finally be found, it must for a time retard the growth, and will generally protract the fruit for a season, however fertile the original stock, we ought, perhaps, considerably to moderate our expectations. By patient culture, skilfully directed, in a climate so propitious, and a soil so favourable, much may yet be effected: after experience shall have once thoroughly ascertained all the dangers and difficulties necessary to be surmounted, before most judicious cultivators can completely avail themselves of the many local advantages of which the situation is undoubtedly susceptible.

To relieve the mind as much as possible from the contemplation of enormities, and the disgustingly wretched picture which vice must ever exhibit, I have not only interspersed a few notices of rare and curious objects in Natural History peculiar to the Australian regions; but have also inserted the two voyages which were made in the little sloop Norfolk, by Captain Flinders and Mr. Bass, in the order of time in which they occurred, instead of placing them in an Appendix.

The Natives too have contributed to assist me in this part of my undertaking; and some additional light is thrown upon their peculiar manners and customs in the course of the work. It were to be wished, that they never had been seen in any other state than that which the subjoined view of them presents, in the happy and peaceable exercise of their freedom and amusements.

A scene by moonlight.

Chart of the three harbours of Botany Bay, Port Jackson and Broken Bay, showing the ground cultivated by the colonists, marking the late additions made thereto, and the country from the Cow Pasture plains in a direct line to the sea coast.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

Recapitulation

A log prison begun

Various impositions practised at the store

October

Regulations and proceedings of the governor

A man found dead

A woman murdered

Discontents among the Irish, followed by an order

Character of the settlers at the river

Houses numbered at Sydney

Bennillong claims protection from the governor

Weather in October

November

Two victuallers arrive from England

Constables elected

The Francis returns from Norfolk Island

Civil appointment

A criminal court held

Executions

One man hung in chains

Effect of this upon the natives

Public works

December

Convicts secreted on board the Sylph

Reflections

A general muster

Regulations

A native child murdered

Weather

CHAPTER II

The governor visits Richmond-Hill

His transactions there

A stack of wheat burnt

Sawyers punished

Price of labour regulated

General character of the settlers

The clergyman's attention to the children

Criminal court assembled

Lawrence Davoran

The governor goes to Botany Bay

George's river

Public works

Lightning and its effects

CHAPTER III

The wind-mill tried

A civil court assembled

Difficulty respecting the convicts from Ireland

The natives

Some buildings begun

Weather March

Number of men not victualled by the Commissary, who had been convicts

An extraordinary theft

Court of criminal judicature twice held

One man suffers death

Price of labour fixed

The natives attack the settlers

Public works

Weather

CHAPTER IV

Report revived of a white woman being with the natives

A shoal seen

Some civil regulations

Natives troublesome

The governor goes on an excursion

Particulars thereof

A valuable tree discovered

Weather

May

The natives burn a house

Consequences

The Supply arrives from the Cape

A ship wrecked to the southward

Three of her people brought in by a fishing boat

Particulars

Two accidents

The Britannia arrives from England

Vessels and assistance sent to the wreck

Public works

Cordage wanted

The Mercury sails

June

The Ganges arrives from Ireland

Transactions

Some runaways taken and brought to trial

The Reliance arrives from the Cape

A strange desertion

Public works

New gaol finished

CHAPTER V

The Francis returns from the wreck of the Sydney Cove

The Eliza long-boat missing

Gale of wind

Cattle from the Cape landed

Station altered

Public works

An officer dies

Accident on board the Schooner

The ships sail for China

Coal discovered

Natives

Bennillong

Courts Of justice assembled

The Supply condemned

The Cumberland seized and carried off to sea

Is pursued, but not retaken

More coal found; and a new river

The people left by Capt. Bampton at New Zealand arrive at Norfolk Is.

Several runaway convicts landed there by the Britannia

The Deptford arrives from Madras

Excursion to the Cow-Pastures

Walk from Mount Taurus to the sea coast

Public works

Weather

CHAPTER VI

Another boat seized and carried off

Order in consequence

The criminal court thrice assembled

Particulars

Three men stand in the pillory

Perjury explained to the convicts

Natives very troublesome; seize a boat

Various works in hand

An attempt to seize another boat frustrated

Prospect of a fine harvest

Wilson gives himself up

Is made use of

Two mares stolen

The clergyman's servant attempts to rob him

Information sent to India respecting the boats

An amphibious animal discovered

Description

Accident

Works

Police

Weather

CHAPTER VII

Bennillong and Cole-be

Various particulars respecting the natives

Ye-ra-ni-be killed

A settler's house burnt through malice

Schools at Sydney

Two settlers drink for a wager

The body of a soldier found

Criminal court

The Francis sails for the wreck

Weather

Houses burnt

Public labour

Harvest

Account of live stock and ground in cultivation

CHAPTER VIII

Attempt of some Irish convicts to desert in search of a new settlement

Some punished

Steps taken to prevent future desertion

A settler's boat stolen

Particulars

The Francis returns from the southward

Conjectures as to a strait

Natives

A convict providentially saved

Public works

Weather

CHAPTER IX

The Francis again sails for the wreck

Bennillong and his wife

Report respecting the wild cattle

An anonymous writing found

Account of a journey to the westward

Description of a new bird

A general muster

Mr Bass returns from an excursion in an open boat to the southward

Particulars of it

Three Irishmen picked up

Public works

Weather in February

CHAPTER X

Pe-mul-wy

Strange idea respecting him

Civil court meets; nature of the business brought before it

Advice of the governor to the settlers

The Francis returns from Preservation Island

A trusty person sent to look for a salt hill said to be to the westward

The wild cattle seen

A new animal, the Wombat, found; described

Some Irish runaways give themselves up

A seizure made of timber for government

Transactions

Weather

April

The criminal court meets

Three men executed

Reflections

Accidents among the stock

Discoveries prosecuted

Settlers and their complaints

An old woman accused of dreaming

Works in hand

Weather

CHAPTER XI

Some Irishmen providentially saved from perishing

The Nautilus arrives from Otaheite

Missionaries

Order respecting the sawyers

The Barwell arrives with convicts

A judge-advocate sent out

Information

The Reliance and Schooner sail for Norfolk Island

Information sent thither

Natives

Works and weather in May

June

Ground fixed on for the missionaries

The Hunter arrives from Bengal

Regulations

The commander of the Sydney Cove dies

A decked boat arrives from Norfolk Island

Maize harvest completed

Weather

CHAPTER XII

Three southern whalers arrive, and an American from the Isle of France

A transport with female convicts arrives from England

Reliance arrives from Norfolk Island

Information

John Raynor executed

Profligacy of the female part of the settlement

August

Civil regulations

The Sabbath neglected

Attendance enforced

Two whalers arrive

Public works

A native girl killed

Consequences

An extraordinary custom among them

September

The Barwell sails for China, and the Hunter for New Zealand

The bones of two horses found

Whalers sail

Public works

Weather

Fears for the approaching harvest

CHAPTER XIII

The Semiramis arrives from Rhode Island

The church at Sydney burnt

Reflections

Some vessels sail; the Norfolk for Van Dieman's Land;

The Francis for Norfolk Island

Another fire in the town

A ship arrives from the Cape with cattle

Works in hand

Bennillong

The governor's steward destroys himself

An order respecting the women

A battery erected

Weather

State of the harvest

Irish

The Francis returns; and the Nautilus

The Eliza from Sea

Information

Three deaths

One good character recorded

Disorders

Public works

Great heat

Returns of stock, and land in cultivation

CHAPTER XIV

Certificates granted to convicts

Reasons for so doing

Unruly behaviour of the Irish

Agricultural concerns look ill

The Norfolk sloop returns from Van Dieman's Land

Particulars

Twofold Bay described

The natives there

Kent's Group

Furneaux's Islands

Preservation Island

Curious petrifaction there

Cape Barren Island

The wombat described

CHAPTER XV

The Norfolk proceeds on her voyage

The Swan Isles; why so named

Waterhouse Isle

Discover Port Dalrymple

Account of the country within it

Natural productions

Animals

Sagacity and numbers of the black swan

Inhabitants; inferior to those of the continent

Range of the thermometer

Pass Table Cape

Circular head

Three Hummock Island

Albatross Island

Hunter's Isles

Proceed to the southward and westward

CHAPTER XVI

The Norfolk passes the strait

Observations thereon

Proceeds to the southward

Passes the S. W. Cape; and S. Cape

Remarks on the latter

De Witt's Isles

Storm Bay Passage

Tasman's Head

Fluted Cape

Frederick Henry Bay

Enter the Derwent river, first seen in the ship Duke, of Bengal

Observations on the Derwent

Some natives seen

Particulars of one

Venomous snake

One destroys itself

Comparison between New South Wales and Van Dieman's Land

Arrive at Port Jackson

Advantages of the strait

CHAPTER XVII

Transactions

Information from Norfolk Island

A burglary committed

The criminal court assembled

A man tried for killing a native

Two men executed

The public gaol burnt

Observations

Stills ordered to be seized

Settlers, their profligacy

A man found dead

Great drought

A flood at the river

Two whalers arrive

Conduct of the labouring convicts

A seaman killed

A woman murdered by her husband

Natives

A Spanish prize arrives

Norfolk Island

Resources in New South Wales

Public works

CHAPTER XVIII

The Buffalo arrives from England, and brings cattle from the Cape

A marine settler killed

Natives

A criminal court held

Taylor executed

Lowe punished

A highway robbery

Provisions in store

Ration altered

June, two whalers come in from sea

Ideas of a whale-fishery

Tempestuous weather

Effects

The Albion whaler arrives from England

Her passage

July, a missionary murdered

The murderers tried and executed

Orders published

State of the farms

The Hillsborough arrives from England

Mortality on board

Public works

CHAPTER XIX

The governor visits the settlers upon George's river

The Norfolk sloop returns from an excursion to the northward

Account of her proceedings

Enters Shoal Bay

Particulars respecting it

Description of a palm-nut tree

Enters Glass-House Bay

Lieutenant Flinders meets some natives

Has an interview with them

Particulars

Point Skirmish

Proceeds to a river in Glass-House Bay

CHAPTER XX

Further proceedings in Glass-House Bay

Red Cliff point

Nets of the natives

Moreton Bay found to be an island

The sloop prepared for an attack of the natives

The Event

Account of an island

Enter Pumice-Stone river

See some natives

The leak in the sloop stopped

Interviews with natives

Mr. Flinders visits the Glass-House peaks

Account of the country

Return down the river

Other interviews with natives

Their manner of fishing

Singing

Dancing

Other particulars of, and some conjectures respecting them

Quit Pumice-Stone river, and Glass House Bay

CHAPTER XXI

The Norfolk proceeds to Hervey's Bay

Some account of it

Curlew Island

She returns to Port Jackson

Observations on the currents and tides along the coast

A criminal court assembled

Order respecting the issuing of government notes

Public works

September

A ship arrives from America

The Buffalo sails for the Cape

The governor crosses the Nepean

A calf killed

October

Convicts found on board the Hillsborough and Hunter

The master of the Hunter tried

A young ox stolen

Ration reduced

Price of Grain fixed

CHAPTER XXII

The Reliance sails for Norfolk Island

The Walker arrives with Lieutenant-Colonel Paterson from England

Dispatches received

Orders respecting bread

Transactions

Regulations

Storm of wind

December

The Britannia whaler sails for England

Settlers dissatisfied

A Spanish prize arrives

The Martha from Cape Barren Island

A criminal court held

Wheat continued at the former Price

Gaol burnt at Parramatta

Harvest begun

Live stock

CHAPTER XXIII

The Swallow Packet arrives on her way to China

Articles sold

The Minerva arrives from Ireland with convicts

The Fhynne from Bengal

Three settlers tried for murdering two natives

Assessment fixed to complete the gaol

February

Military rations

A soldier shoots himself

A whaler from America, with a Spanish vessel, her prize

The Hunter from Calcutta

The Friendship with Irish convicts arrives

Inutility of some of these prisoners

Clothing issued

Tax on spirits to complete the gaol

Transactions

A new magazine begun

March

The Reliance sails for England

A mountain eagle shot

The Martha arrives from Bass Strait

Settlers sell their sheep

Flood occasioned by bad weather

April

Criminal court held

The Speedy arrives from England with Lieutenant-Governor King

The Buffalo from the Cape

Regulations

CHAPTER XXIV

Reports of seditious meetings among the Irish convicts

The Friendship sails for Bengal

Letter from Lord Mornington respecting persons resident at Bengal formerly in this colony

Correspondence relative to Indian convicts and persons at Calcutta wishing to become settlers in New South Wales

Orders

Criminal court held

June

Two men hanged for sheep-stealing

The Hunter sails with Major Foveaux for Norfolk Island

The Buffalo ordered for sea

Public gaol

July

Three men executed

General muster

Cattle purchased

The Martha driven on shore

August

Survey of public stores

Spirits landed and seized

Death of Wilson

September

Rumours of Insurrection

Volunteer corps

Coal found

The John Jay arrives

The governor quits the settlement

Live stock, etc

October

The Buffalo sails for England

Touches at Norfolk Island

CONCLUSION

LIST OF PLATES

Chart of the three harbours of Botany Bay, Port Jackson and Broken Bay, showing the ground cultivated by the colonists, marking the late additions made thereto, and the country from the Cow Pasture plains in a direct line to the sea coast.

A scene by moonlight

Ornythorhynchus paradoxus

Maenura superba

Wombat

A night scene in the neighbourhood of Sydney

The Mountain Eagle

Natives under a rock in bad weather

The Emu of New South Wales

Plan and elevation of the Church at Parramatta

AN ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY IN NEW SOUTH WALES

CHAPTER I

Recapitulation

A log prison begun

Various impositions practised at the store

October

Regulations and proceedings of the governor

A man found dead

A woman murdered

Discontents among the Irish, followed by an order

Character of the settlers at the river

Houses numbered at Sydney

Bennillong claims protection from the governor

Weather in October

November

Two victuallers arrive from England

Constables elected

The Francis returns from Norfolk Island

Civil appointment

A criminal court held

Executions

One man hung in chains

Effect of this upon the natives

Public works

December

Convicts secreted on board the Sylph

Reflections

A general muster

Regulations

A native child murdered

Weather

September, 1796.] In the former account of the English Colony of New South Wales, which was brought up to the 29th September, 1796, it will be seen, that on that day His Majesty's ship the Reliance and the Britannia hired transport, sailed, with the Francis colonial schooner, for Norfolk island; whence, being there joined by the Supply, the Reliance was to sail to the Cape of Good Hope, to return with cattle for the colony, and the Britannia was to proceed to England.

The frequent commission of the most atrocious crimes, together with the dissipated, turbulent, and abandoned disposition of the convicts, which had more than ever at this time been manifest, determining the governor to enforce the most rigid discipline, he resolved on constructing a strong and capacious Log Prison at each of the towns of Sydney and Parramatta. It being absolutely necessary that these should be erected as expeditiously as possible, the safety of the inhabitants and security of their property, rendering any delay extremely dangerous, and the public gangs being very weak, he called upon every officer, settler, and housekeeper within the above-mentioned districts, to furnish a certain number of logs for this purpose, which were to be delivered at Sydney, or Parramatta, as might be most convenient to each person's residence; and he had, in a very short time, the satisfaction of seeing the materials which were required brought in much faster than the carpenters could put them together.

Among other crimes committed by these people, must be mentioned a variety of impositions which were practised to deceive the commissary in the issue of provisions. To detect these, an order was given about the end of the month, which directed that every person belonging to each different mess should attend personally at the store on the next serving-day. The convicts had always been divided into messes, containing a certain number of persons; one of whom out of each mess was to attend at the store, and receive provisions for the whole number belonging to it.

On the day appointed, it appeared that many were victualled both at Sydney and Parramatta, and several other impositions were detected and abolished.

In a settlement which was still in a great measure dependant upon the mother country for food, it might have been supposed that these people would have endeavoured by their own industry to have increased, rather than by robbery and fraud to have lessened, the means of their support: but far too many of them were most incorrigibly flagitious. The most notorious of these were formed into a gaol gang, which was composed of such a set of hardened and worthless characters, that, although Saturday was always given up to the convicts for their own private avocations, as well as to enable them to appear clean and decent on Sunday at church, this gang was ordered, as an additional punishment, to work on the Saturday morning in repairing the roads and bridges near the town.

At the close of this month the stone tower of the Wind Mill, and the stone foundation of the Log Prison, were much advanced.

October.] The governor, still turning his thoughts toward rectifying the abuses which had imperceptibly crept into the colony, arranged in the beginning of the following month (October) the muster lists which had lately been taken; and, many more impositions being detected, he ordered the delinquents to labour, after inflicting on them such punishments as their respective offences seemed to demand; by which means he was enabled considerably to increase the number of labouring people in the public gangs. On his going up to Parramatta, whither he was attended by Captain Johnston as his aid-de-camp, and Mr. Balmain (the surgeon) as a magistrate, he recovered at least one hundred men for government work.

Exclusive of the advantage which attended the recruiting of the public gangs in this way, another point was established by this examination, the discovering of several who had been victualled from the stores beyond the period (eighteen months) which had been fixed and considered by government as a sufficient time to enable an industrious man to provide for himself.

Directing his attention also toward the morality of the settlement, a point which he could not venture to promise himself that he should ever attain, he issued some necessary orders for enforcing attendance on divine service, and had the satisfaction of seeing the Sabbath better observed than it had been for some time past. But there were some who were refractory. A fellow named Carroll, an Irishman, abused and ill treated a constable who was on his duty, ordering the people to church; saying, that he would neither obey the clergyman nor the governor; for which, the next day, he was properly punished.

On the morning of the 16th, the people of a boat which had been sent to the north shore for wood found a man's hat, and a large hammer lying by it. One side of the hat had apparently been beaten in with the hammer, which was bloody; and much blood was also found in the hat, as well as about the spot where it was discovered. It was immediately conjectured, that a man who had been working there with some carpenter's tools had been murdered; and upon its being made known to the governor, he sent several persons to search for the body, which was found thrown over the cliff, and near the water side. On its being examined by the surgeons, the skull was found beaten in, which must have been effected with the hammer, and occasioned his death. Some suspicion falling upon two people, they were secured, and an examination was the next day taken before the magistrates; but nothing transpired that could fix the offence upon them.

This shocking circumstance was followed shortly after by another equally atrocious: a murder which was committed by a man on the person of a woman with whom he cohabited. It appeared that they had both been intoxicated, and had quarrelled on the night preceding and in the morning of the murder.

This made the fifth circumstance of the kind which had occurred within the last twelve months; and so excessively abandoned were the people, that it was scarcely possible to obtain sufficient proof to convict the offenders. Strong presumptive proof, indeed, was frequently adduced; but the kind of evidence necessary to establish the offence was almost constantly withheld.

About this time, some dissatisfaction appearing among the Irish convicts who were ordered to labour, and some threats having been made use of by them, the governor thought it necessary to inform the inhabitants of the colony in general, that, after having pointed out a number of people who had, by false pretences, and various impositions, obtained certificates of discharge from the commissary's books, he did not expect so soon to have occasion to enter again upon the same subject. He then, taking notice of those who had not hesitated to hold a language which implied a determination to resist all authority, declared, that if any officer, civil or military, any settler, or other person within the colony, should, after Monday, the 7th of November, retain in his or their service any one or more of the persons described in a former order, such persons should be considered as encouraging a set of lawless and seditious people, to the total subversion of all order and government, and to the weakening of His Majesty's authority in the settlement. He next informed the people whose conduct had occasioned this order, that if they were of opinion, that to threaten would be the best means of obtaining what they desired, they might repent that opinion when too late. That there would not be any difficulty found in furnishing them with a situation in the colony, or in some of its dependencies, where they would not be able to disturb the peace of their neighbours; and that if they were troublesome here, they should certainly be placed in that situation very soon. He concluded this order by informing all the inhabitants of the colony, whether in a civil or a military capacity, that he expected, as they valued His Majesty's authority, or the peace and civil government of the settlement, that they would exert every effort to preserve good order; and, to that end, that they should aid and assist the civil power when and wherever it might be necessary, and report all such persons as they might know to be in any way acting in opposition to this order.

It was hoped by the governor, that this order would convince the people particularly styled defenders, that, if they continued to be troublesome, they would not very readily escape from the punishment to which their turbulent and restless conduct might entitle them.

From the accession of numbers to the public gangs, the different works in hand at Sydney and Parramatta went rapidly on. At the former of these places the erection of a granary, 72 feet in length and 22 in breadth, was begun on the west side of the main street, there not being a building for the reception of grain yet prepared in that township.

Boats were sent round to the Hawkesbury, for various articles wanted at Sydney. From that part of the settlement, the timber most useful for boat and other buildings was occasionally received; shingles also of a good sort were brought round; and frequently the boats returned loaded with grain. It has been shown, in the account of this colony already published, that the farms upon the fertile banks of that river were superior, in point of soil, to any near the principal settlement; and that, had they been in the hands of good and industrious characters, they would have produced abundant crops, and enriched their owners. But every day's experience evinced, that the people thus fortunately situated were, unluckily, some of the most profligate wretches in the colony; and their distance from the immediate seat of government added much to the inconvenience. Such of these farms as were situated on the low grounds were often overflowed after very heavy falls of rain; but this circumstance was in no way injurious to the farmer, unless it happened when the grain was ripening.

Among other local arrangements which took place, and were extremely useful, must be reckoned the numbering of the houses of the towns of Sydney and Parramatta, and dividing them into portions; with a principal inhabitant at the head of each division, who was charged with the peace and good order of the district in which he lived.

The frame of the Log Prison at Sydney was got up in the course of this month, to the great annoyance of the worthless, who seemed to anticipate the lodging in it which they merited.

At Parramatta and Toongabbie a very few old stacks of wheat belonging to government were opened for the purpose of being thrashed out, when they were found to have been much injured by vermine.

In the course of this month, Bennillong, who had returned to all the habits of savage life, claimed the protection of the governor from the menaces of several of his countrymen, who, he with much agitation informed him, had assembled in a considerable body near the Brickfields*, to lie in wait for him; and where, if possible, they intended to kill him; he having, as they suspected, killed a man near Botany Bay. This he positively denied having done, and the governor dispatched him to the place, guarded by some of the military, where he explained to his countrymen that he had not killed the man in question, or any man; and that the soldiers were sent with him, to convince them that the governor would not suffer him, his old friend and fellow voyager (it must be remembered that Bennillong returned from England with the governor in His Majesty's ship Reliance), to be ill treated by them on any false pretence; and that he was determined to drive every native away from Sydney who should attempt it. This threat had a good effect. Many of them were much alarmed when they saw in what manner and by whom Bennillong was attended; and to be driven from a place whence they derived so many comforts, and so much shelter in bad weather, would have been severely felt by most of them.

[* Adjacent to the town of Sydney.]

In the first part of the month the weather was not very good; about the middle some showers fell very seasonably for the harvest; and towards the latter part the regular land and sea breezes had set in, which kept the weather cool and pleasant.

November.] The month of November opened with the arrival of the Prince of Wales, victualler, from England. She had been close in with Botany Bay the preceding day; but, there being little wind, the master had been obliged to stretch out from the land during the night; and the next morning, a pilot getting on board, she was brought in. She had sailed in company with the Sylph, which also had provisions for the settlement on board, but which did not arrive until the 17th. They brought the information, that a Dutch fleet, consisting of ten sail of ships of war, bound to the East Indies had been captured off the Cape of Good Hope, by His Majesty's fleet, under Admiral Sir Geo. Keith Elphinstone (now Lord Keith), which had followed them from England.

The useful regulation of numbering the different houses in the town of Sydney, particularly those in the occupation of the convicts, was followed up by another equally serviceable, which directed the inhabitants of each of the four divisions of the town (for into that number it was portioned off) to meet, and from among themselves elect three of the most decent and respectable characters, who were to be approved by the governor, and were to serve for the ensuing year as watchmen, for the purpose of enforcing a proper attention to the good order and tranquillity of their respective divisions. Many of the soldiers being allowed to occupy houses for their families in the vicinity of the barracks, the commanding officer was desired to appoint his own watchmen for the military division of the town, and to order them to report to him.

A few days previous to the arrival of the Sylph, the Colonial schooner returned from Norfolk Island, and brought letters from the Reliance, Supply, and Britannia, which ships left that island on the 25th of the last month, and the day following her arrival (the 14th) Richard Atkins, esq was directed to officiate as judge-advocate